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Germany lifts its 17-year ban on Doom

Good news, Germany readers! After seventeen years of being persona non grata in your nation, your government has finally lifted the ban on the controversial videogame Doom. At last, you can get your hands on the damn thing and see what the fuss is all about.

The game had been barred from German shelves in 1994 due to both its then-unprecedented in-game violence.

The restrictions on Doom and Doom II officially expired on 31 August, after a meeting of the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle) decided earlier this month to lift the bans.

The lifting of the ban reportedly comes after Bethesda Softworks, the current owner of iD Software which created the game, appealed to the group.

Bethesda argued that as the graphics in the titles had been surpassed by more modern titles, the violence in the games had little impact.In response, the Bundesprufstelle, admitted that while the graphics were not the sole reason for game’s ban, mobile phones can now support far more realistic images.

The panel explained that it was originally concerned because the story played out in Doom involved a relentless cycle of gunplay and “bloody sadistic” violence.

You tell ‘em, Bundesprufstelle!

Anyways, the ban was sort of silly at this point, because Doom sequels have been available over there for a few years.